Bus body



Jan. 11, 1938. E. M. ICKS 2,104,989

BUS BODY I INVENTOR.

ZETQr/ .AY M2046, 7 BY ATTORNEY 6 E. M. HICKS BUS BODY 7 Jan. 11, 1938.

Filed June 19, 1937 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 'INVENTOR. .zflw-z J 3/106, g -BY ATTORNEYS...

Jan. 11; 1938. E M, HM 2,104,989

BUS BODY ATTORNEYS.

. .INVENTOR.

E. MZHICKS 7' Jan. 11, 1938.

BUS BODY Filed June 19, 1957 4 Shee'ts-Sheet 4 J H Rm" aw J 8 NM INVENTOR."

ATTORNEYS.

I Fatented Jan. 11, 1938 amaze a 7 (c1. ass-137') The object or my invention is to produce a metal bus body which, while having adequate rigidity and load carrying characteristics, will nevertheless be sufliciently flexible especially in its roof structure, whereby the unavoidable distortion, due to road inequalities will not result-in roof leakages or in unsightly flnish-manings.

The accompanying drawings illustrate my invention: a

frame work of my improved body; A

Fig. 2 a perspective view of said body in a further state of development; 15 Fig. 3 a perspective view of the body in-a still further state of developments;

Fig. 4 a perspective view of the body nearly completed;

Fig. '5 a fragmentary detail section on line 5--5ofFig.2;- 20 Fig. '6 a fragmentary section on line 6-6 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 7 a fragmentary section on line l-'I of V Fig. 3;

Fig. 8 a section or one-of the channel bows 5' with adjacent roof plates and finishing strap.

In the drawings III, H), H indicate a series of transverse floor plates'each ofwhich comprises downtumed side portions I2 ending in inturned L-shaped flanges l3, the several plates 30 being arrangedin series with their adjacent portions l2 connected by suitable bolts. Between the adjacent portions 12- of the plates ID are vertical gusset plates H which are secured to a side wall of the lower ends of an adjacent chan- 35 nel bow l5.- The, sheet-metal channel bow IS,

in cross-sectiomcomprises a middle portion 20,

flanked by two parallel'portions 2|, 2| at right angles to portion 20, and portions 22, 22 parallel with portion 20 and each springing and extend- 40 ing outwardly from the free end of onefof the portions 2|.

These bows are formed of comparativelyfilight sheet metal and are'bent to U-form so as to provide depending legs and a connecting arch,

45 with the mouth of the channel outwardly. I have found by experience that, in order to obtain desired flexibility to twisting stresses, without sacrifice of stability, and-to permit-proper cooperation with roof-platesand flnish'straps, the

curvature at the points XX.should not be less than about to 12 inches radius with intermediate connecting portlon Y-comparatively flat but, largely for, the sake of appearance, having a relative curvature as indicated in. Fig; 1. ii After-the lower ends of the depending legs or the Us are secured to the floor structure, by means of gussets It, with the lower ends of'the depending arms extending substantially below the floor plane, adjacent pairs of depending arms, ,r above the plane of the floor structure, are connected by stretcher bars 25 either by bolting or, more conveniently, by welding.

The mouths of the channels being outwardly 10 presented, and the bows being continuous Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the primary throughout their lengths, and the depending legs :extending below the floor plane, all possibility of leakage through roofjoints into the interior of the body is eliminated.

Between the depending legs of adjacent bows,

below'the' stretcher bars 25, I place interior stretcher plates 26 the lower edges of which are inturned at 21 to underlie the floor plate In and at their upper edges are inturnedat 28 and up-- turned at. to form a pocket for reception of the lower edge of an interior finish plate if desired. These plates are secured in place by welding, at 30, in the corner between the floor plate l0 and the inner face of plate 26 and by welding to a side wall 2| of the adjacent bow l5.

The bows are further connected, adjacent the springs of the arches, by stretcher plates 35 each having an upwardly inclined upper edge 36 and a depending lower edge 31, which parts 6 and 3 l -contact respectively with portions 22 f the bow and aresecured thereto, either by bolts or,

preferably, by spot welding. Each of these plates is bent at 38 to form a downwardly presented pocket for the reception of the upper edge of a vertically slidable window frame, not shown.

The r'oof, plates 40 are continuous acrossthe top of the body, one platefo'r each pair of bows, with their side edges throughout their lengths, except for short .portions at their ends (40"), downturned into the channels of the U-bow's. Each top plate 40 is underlaid by a sheet of sound 40 deadening material 40d resting upon portions 22 or the U-bows and my presentmethod of fabrication involves a preliminary clamping of the top ,sheet in place upon the bows, whereupon the edges 4|! are battered down into the channels of the bows and the plate then secured in position .by bolts 4| passing through said plates and through the subjacent portions 22 of the bows, t and also by bolts Alf passing through plate 40 and the depending tongue il'l of the subjacent plate 35.

- In order to provide a satisfactory window triih short sections 43 are sleeved upon the depending arms of the bows, these sections 43 having at each side inwardly presented channels. for interlocking reception of portions 22 of the U-bows, and the upper ends of these sections 43 are proiected under portions 40" of roof plates 40 so that the retaining bolts ll may pass there- 5 through.

Extending from the lower end of plates 43 to the lower ends of the U-bows, between each pair of U-bows, is a side plate 45 the forward edge of each rearward plate underlying the rearward edge of the next forward plate and secured in place by bolts 46 extending through the two side plates and underlying portions 22 of the U'-bows. These side plates may besuitably ornamented and stiffened by outwardly presented rib forming portions 41. The top plates 40 in eaph end are distorted to form outwardly projecting window caps 40".

overlying the adjacent edges of each pair of roof plates 40 is a finish strap 50 having downwardly projecting channels 5| along each edge and also having, near the middle and near each end, inwardly projecting short rubber-covered fingers 52 lying between and engaging adjacent downturned side edges 40' of roof plates 40. In each channel SI and engaging the outer face of the subjacent plate 40, substantially throughout the length of strap 50, is a cylindrical packing 53 which comprises a wire core 54- and afiexible cover. I have found that commercial-electric wiring is especially useful. I have found that such a pacldng permits intermediate rolling distortion which is quite essential. The diameter of the packing 53 is such as to hold the strap 50 just clear of the outer finish on plates 40 and the straps ill are firmly held in place solely; by end iastenings ll, conveniently two screws 'or bolts passing through the strap 50 and the subjacent portions to" of the roof plates III, the upper end of finish plate 43, and the subjacent portions 22 of the U'-bows.

It will be noted that the depending legs of bows l5 are .tied.together in series near their lower ends by the floor structure, the stretcher bars 25, plates 26, and side plates "and that they are also tied together at the springs of the arches by the stretcher plates 35. These various parts, however, are 01' sheetmetal yieldable under twisting stress, primarily resulting from road inequalities. The roof plates are anchored in place by bolts ll and I at the ends of the plates;. the. finish-straps 5' are anchored only at-their ends;

and the curvature, in'vertical planes, of plates and straps, is one of relatively large radius. As a consequence'of the-combination of these various factors, there is a considerable degree of flexibility of the'rooi structure, particularly in the regions X, permittingrelative torsional movements 'of the finish straps and roof plates. If there is direct contact between root plates and finish straps, such relative movements would soon create unsightly blemishes in the external finish of the'roof plates (paint, enamel, etc.) and rusting in those regions would be promoted; By providing the packing 53,'capable of local roll-- ing and twisting without disintegration, I have found it possible to prevent injury in those 2' regionswithout sacrlficeof the advantages due totviristing flexibility of the structure in these regions. As a result of these details of construcinvention have proved to be leak proof, excep-r, tionally-long lived, and" capable ,br withstanding v v of outwm'dl m tion, bodies constructed in accordance with my vmedium of its fioor elements and the vehicle passes over a rough terrain one corner or another is lifted or depressed relative to the other three corners thus subjecting theentire body to 2:. twisting action. A sufiiciently rigid structure might possibly successfully withstand these twisting stresses but such a construction would be un-- avoidably very heavy and expensive. On the other hand, if the structure is such as to yield to the twisting forces the arc-shaped roof plates 40 inevitably tend to buckle relative to the bows and the bows tend to buckle relative to the roof plates and if an attempt is made to anchor the edges of the roof plates to the bows throughout their lengths along their side edges, these buckling stresses are resisted by the, fastening means and consequently stresses are set up along the edges of the roof plates which ultimately result in breaks or unsightly permanently set distortions, all of which result in external marrings of finish which become unsightly and which expose the parts to rusting. This has been a problem, as is evident from an inspection of prior art structures, which, so far as I know, has not been solved until my present invention. It will be noted that in my above-described construction the roof plates are anchored only at :-their ends and the finish straps 50 are anchored only at-their ends; the side edges of the roof plates, between the end anchorages depend into the outwardly opening channel of the bows I5 and are unattached to the vertical walls of the bows; the downturned edges of adjacent roof plates are separated from each other and the depending ringers 52 of the finish straps "50 are flexible and are covered with a flexible packing such as'a short length of rubber tube 52 which contacts the downtumed edges of the roof plates.

As a consequence ofthis construction, I have found that, when the body is carried over a rough terrain, there-wlll be a quite noticeable movement of adjacent roof plates toward and 'from each other beneath the finish straps but, as the finish straps and roof plates are anchored only at their ends they are free intermediate their ends to locally move toward or from each other, particularly at the regions X and, as the packings ii are laterally and locally flexible, these buckling movements have such freedom that the bodies willhave a' practically indefinite life throughout while the integrity of the parts'and finish is maintained. It will also be noted that, even though the packing 53 does not maintain an absolutely waterproof seal, any water which passes thereunder can only pass into the outwardly-open channel in the bow l5 and, because these bows extend continuously to.points below the plane of the floor, adequate drainage is providedto a point where no possible harm can result therefr'om.-

In Fig. 1, I haveshown bars and clamps 5| which, as will be readily understood, are merely temporary to hold" the intermediatebow ,IS in. place (due to the form ofsfioor plate. I I) until the necessary stretcher bars are placed. I claim'asmyinvention:

1. A bus roof comprising ainultiplicity of inverted u bows plates'lai 'ptn between an ca maran fof bows; means connect- :i'n'gTthe' transversely-spaced ends only} of the roof I w v ,Tpla'tes-and the bowaadjacentthe springs of'the V a .When abus' bodyflh'as been mounted. u on :a '(6 firmly boltedfl thereto th'e into the channels of two.

"'channelg'section, roof bows, a finish strap laid over the arches of each bow and overlapping the front and rear edges of adjacent underlying roof plates and of such form as to leave said underlying-edges free to shift relative to the strap and underlying bow, fastening means connecting only the ends of said straps to the underlying bow adjacent the springs of the" arches, the portions of said roof plates and strap over the arches being capable of yielding relative to each other and the bow, and packing strips interposed between the edges of the fine lshing strap and the underlying roof plates.

2. A bus roof structure of the character speci fled in claim 1 wherein the finishing strap has downwardly presented channels along its side edges and the pacldng strips nested in said channels.

3. A bus roof structure of'the character specifled in claim 1 and including a yieldable finger means depending from a medial portion of the finishing strap and interposed between the downturned edges'of the underlying roof plates.

EARL M. HICKS. 

